There were other years when it seemed as though Tim Lincecum had thrown his final pitch as a San Francisco Giant. Now, it seems more real.

General manager Bobby Evans said on KNBR on Thursday morning that Lincecum is done for the season and likely will undergo hip surgery, which almost certainly signals the end of Lincecum's career in San Francisco.

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If so, it will be a tough pill for legions of fans who love "The Freak" and understand how his arrival in 2007 helped pivot the franchise toward its great run of World Series championships.

Lincecum made only 15 starts this season, the last on June 27.

"He won't be able to come back this season. That's evident," Evans said during the radio interview. "He went to Colorado to see a specialist and get a second opininn and get an evaluation with the prospect that he will have surgery.

"The next step for him is to do everything he can and get back and get well, but it's going to take him out for the season. What that leads to in terms of his progression healthwise will dictate what opportunities he has with us or elsewhere."

However, Lincecum's two-year, $35 million contract expires after this season and the Giants clearly need a rotation makeover for 2016 and beyond.

Free agents customarily rehab their injuries over the winter under the direction of their former teams, and it's always possible the Giants could sign him to a minor-league contract for next year, but he surely will not get a major-league deal in San Francisco.

Lincecum won the 2008 and 2009 National League Cy Young awards, in his first two full seasons in the majors, before helping the Giants win their first World Series in San Francisco the next season.

Evans also said on KNBR that rookie Chris Heston will take his next turn in the rotation, at Coors Field in Denver on Friday night, despite a shaky return from the minors Sunday.

Evans said the club hopes Heston rediscovers his sinker, enabling him to get the groundballs needed to pitch effectively at Coors.